Best Stax

Isaac Hayes's 1969 album released on the Stax Records subsidiary Enterprise. Comprising only four tracks, the record is distinguished by its extended song structures, lush orchestral arrangements, and spoken-word monologues. The Bar-Kays served as the backing band, while Hayes reworked popular songs...

Otis Redding's third studio album, released in 1965 on Volt Records. It was recorded in Memphis over a single 24-hour session with the house band Booker T. & the M.G.'s and the Mar-Keys horns, produced by Steve Cropper. The tracklist balances original soul compositions like "Respect" with covers of...

The Complete Stax-Volt Soul Singles Vol. 2 is a 1993 box set compilation chronicling the Memphis-based Stax and Volt record labels. It collects soul and R&B singles released between 1968 and 1971, a transitional period for the studio following the end of its partnership with Atlantic Records. The an...

Live in Europe is a 1967 live album by American soul singer Otis Redding, recorded during the Stax/Volt tour of Europe. Redding performs with Booker T. & the M.G.'s and the Mar-Keys, whose organ, horns, guitar, bass, and drums reproduce the compact sound associated with Stax Records. The set include...

"Shaft" is a 1971 double album by Isaac Hayes, serving as the soundtrack to the MGM blaxploitation film of the same name. Released on Stax Records, the album was composed, arranged, and produced by Hayes, blending funk, soul, and cinematic orchestral elements. Its title theme won the Academy Award f...

Albert King’s “Born Under a Bad Sign” is a seminal 1960s blues album showcasing the guitarist's distinctive style. Recorded for Stax Records in Memphis, it established King as a major figure in electric blues. The album’s powerful guitar work and raw emotion resonate with fans of traditional blues m...

"Be Altitude: Respect Yourself" is a studio album by the American gospel and soul group The Staple Singers, released in 1972 on Stax Records. The album successfully bridges the group's gospel roots with mainstream funk and soul, driven by the tremolo guitar style of Roebuck "Pops" Staples and the pr...

Wattstax documents the historic 1973 Stax Records concert held at the Los Angeles Coliseum. This multi-artist documentary captures a remarkable display of soul music talent including Booker T & the MGs, Isaac Hayes, Sly and the Family Stone, and Rufus Thomas. The film’s significance lies in its pres...

Live Wire/Blues Power is a live album by American blues guitarist and singer Albert King, recorded at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium in 1968 and released by Stax Records. It documents King performing electric blues for the rock-oriented Fillmore audience, with his vocals and distinctive left-ha...

Johnnie Taylor's 1968 debut album on Stax Records, built around the million-selling title track that reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart. Taylor had previously sung with the Soul Stirrers, replacing Sam Cooke in the gospel group in the late 1950s. The title track 'Who's Making Love' was pr...

Eddie Floyd's 1967 Stax Records album is named for his signature hit co-written with Steve Cropper, which became one of Stax's defining recordings of the era. Floyd was both a recording artist and a songwriter for Stax's associated publishing company, contributing material to other artists on the la...

I'll Play the Blues for You is a studio album by American blues guitarist Albert King, released in 1972 on Stax Records. The album was recorded in Memphis and features integration of funk and soul elements into King's electric blues style, with backing provided by the Bar-Kays and the Movement. The...

Comfort Me is a studio album by American soul singer Carla Thomas, often referred to as the Queen of Memphis Soul, released in 1966 on Stax Records. The album features a mix of rhythm and blues, soul, and pop tracks, backed by the renowned Stax house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s. It includes notable...